Well packer zone activated valve

ABSTRACT

A sliding valve located in the lower end of a packer assembly utilizes two differential pressure areas for receiving hydraulic pressure from inside the tubing to actuate the packer and then selectively receiving formation pressure when it exceeds the casing pressure and using the higher formation pressure to maintain the packer set in the casing.

United States Patent Abney et al.

[451 Jan. 14,1975

WELL PACKER ZONE ACTIVATED VALVE Inventors: David Lewis Abney, Stafford;

Robert Carl Williams, Spring, both of Tex.

Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex.

Filed: Nov. 1, 1973 Appl. No.: 411,984

US. Cl 166/120, 166/134, 166/224 Int. Cl E2lb 23/00, E21b 33/12 Field ofSearch 166/120, 134

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1963 Myers 166/120 10/1965Mott 166/120 3,233,675 2/1966 3,338,308 8/1967 3,339,637 9/19673,426,846 2/1969 Young 166/120 X Primary Examiner-David H. BrownAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael J. Caddell [5 7] ABSTRACT A slidingvalve located in the lower end of a packer assembly utilizes twodifferential pressure areas for re ceiving hydraulic pressure frominside the tubing to actuate the packer and then selectively receivingformation pressure when it exceeds the casing pressure and using thehigher formation pressure to maintain the packer set in the casing.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Pmmmm 1 4191s sum 1 or FIG. 15

FIG.IA

PATENTEU 1 41975 3. 860.068

' sum 2 or a FIG. IC,

PATENTEB JAN 1 4|975 H 22 20b l9 sum 30F FIG. 2

Fae. 2A

WELL PACKER ZONE ACTIVATED VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In thecompletion and production of multizone wells with two or more producingformations penetrated by the wellbore it is frequently the practice toutilize a number of well packers to isolate the formations.

Often the tool string or production string will be lowered into the holeand all the packers will be set, usually with one or more packersbetween the formations producing hydrocarbons. Then it is frequently thecase that not all the formations will be opened to flow up theproduction tubing since one or more may be high pressure formations andthere may be a low pressure formation also on the production stringwhich, if they are all on production flow, will result in gas and fluidmoving from the high pressure zones into the low pressure zone. Thusduring production from one zone the others are usually closed off.

This oftentimes results in the problem that if a high pressure zone isclosed in, it may build up a pressure below one of its isolating packersgreater than the hydraulic actuating pressure in the tubing with theresult that the packer and tubing will tend to float up in the casingand destroy the desired zone location.

The present invention solves this problem by providing a packer lowervalve mechanism which allows hydraulic actuation of the packer throughthe tubing string and, when the zone pressure builds up higher than thesetting pressure, switches the packer setting mechanism from tubingpressure to formation pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. la-lc illustrate across-sectional side view of a packer assembly containing the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the valve assembly;

FIG. 2a shows a cross-sectional side view of the actuating valve seat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1a through10, the packer assembly 1 is shown having hydraulic gripping buttons 2,resilient packer elements 3 and mechanical anchors 4 mounted on aninternal tubular mandrel 5 and a concentric external mandrel 6.

Secured to the lower ends of mandrels 5 and 6 is the activating valveassembly 7. It should be noted that the packer assembly is a standardhydraulically actuated packer having radially expanding resilient packerelements and mechanical anchor means for anchoring the assembly in thewellbore.

Nonnal operation of the packer is accomplished by applying hydraulicpressure to chamber 8 whereupon the pressure acts upward on piston head9 and downward on cylinder sleeve 10, compressing packers 3 and wedginganchors 4 outward into engagement with the well casing.

Hydraulic pressure is applied to chamber 8 by closing off the tubingbore below valve assembly 7 by standard valving means such as a droppedplug or ball in the tubing or mechanically actuated sleeve valve means.The tubing is then pressured up and hydraulic pressure acts throughmandrel ports 11 up a concentric passage 12 and through channels 13 intoactuation chamber 8.

A ported valve sleeve 14 and valve housing 15 comprise the lower valveassembly 7 and allow pressure from the formation to aid in maintainingthe packer set in the well.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 2a a more detailed description of the zoneactivation valve assembly 7 is illustrated as having an external tubularcylindrical valve housing 15 with one or more radial ports 16 throughthe wall thereof. A lower threaded adapter 17 is attached to housing 15at threaded section 18 and is adapted to be threadedly connected to avalve seating collar therebelow.

The inner mandrel 5 which is an elongated tubular cylindrical member issealingly and snugly telescoped into the upper portion 17a of loweradapter 17 and abuts inner shoulder 17b of the adapter. A fluidic sealtherebetween is provided by circular seal ring 19 located in an innerannular groove in the wall of section 17a of the lower housing.

Annular chamber 12 is formed between the inner mandrel 5 and housing 15and consists of a lower portion 12a and a wider upper portion 12b.

A ported sleeve piston 14 is slidably and sealingly telescoped withinchamber 12 and is arranged to continuously contact mandrel 5 with sealmeans 20a and 20b therein. Piston 14 further has ports 21 passingthrough an upper skirt 14a thereon and communicating Y with ports 11when piston 14 is in the lower most position in chamber 12 as shown inthe figure.

Sleeve piston 14 has an inner annular shoulder 14b arranged upon upwardmovement to abut a complementary external annular shoulder 5a on mandrel5, thereby limiting upward movement of piston 14.

A circular seal 22 on piston 14 provides sealing contact with wall 23 oflower chamber 12a until the piston has moved upward sufficiently forseal 22 to clear shoulder 23:; and enter expanded chamber 12b. Piston 14further has a lower annular differential pressure face 24 and an upperannular differential pressure face 25 formed thereon to receive pressurefluctuations and transmit their force to piston 14.

FIG. 2a illustrates a valve seat collar 30 which may be threadedlyattached to the lower threaded end 26 of adapter 17 by threads 30alocated internally in the upper end. Collar 30 has an inner, annular,bevelled valve seat 31 formed therein to receive an actuating valvemember (not shown), as previously mentioned, to close off the tubingbore passage and allow hydraulic actuation of the packer assembly viaports 11 and 21 in assembly 7. A lower threaded portion 30b is adaptedfor connection into a standard tubing section or an other tool or packerassembly.

METHOD OF OPERATION In typical operation, the valve assembly-7 isattached to the packer assembly 1 as shown in FIGS. la-lc. This stringis then placed in the production string with additional packers in thedesired quantity to provide proper isolation of the zones penetrated bythe wellbore.

The entire production string is then lowered into the wellbore and thepackers situated in the proper location to isolate the producingformations. A valve member such as a ball or plug can then be pumpeddown the string to seat in valve seat 31 of collar 30 and close off thetubing passage. The fluid in the tubing can then be pressured to thepredetermined actuation pressure which acts through the inner borepassage of mandrel 5, through ports 11 and 21, chamber 12, channels 13and into chamber 8, thereby driving piston 9 out of cylinder 10, movingcylinder 10 downward, compressing packer elements 3 and wedging slips 4outward into the casing. Usually shear pins are used to temporarily holdcylinder 10 to piston 9 until actuation pressure is reached in thetubing whereupon the pins will shear and the packer will set.

At this time the packer is set and, assuming that the formation belowthis packer assembly is one of the high pressure formations which it isdesirable to maintain closed-in during production of a low pressureformation elsewhere in the string, the pressure will begin to buildupbelow the packer elements 3 and the'pressure going beyond the tubingpressure will tend to unset the packer assembly. At this time valveassembly 7 automatically comes into action because of the pressuredifferential which develops across piston 14 from formation pressureacting through port 16 on differential pressure area 24. This reactsagainst tubingactuating pressure on upper area 25 and when it exceedsthe tubing pressure will move piston 14 upward, closing off ports 11 bystraddling them with seals 20a and 20b and piston 14. Piston 14 willmove upward until shoulder 14b thereon abuts outer shoulder 5a onmandrel 5 which stops upward movement of the piston.

At this upward position of piston 14 ports 11 will be blocked off andports 16 will now be in communication with enlarged chamber 12b andformation pressure will be transmitted via ports 16, chamber 12b andchamber 8 to'the packer setting mechanism, guaranteeing that the packerremains set.

Should the formation pressure drop below the tubing actuation pressure,for instance if the formation is finally placed on production and itspressure drops considerably, the tubing pressure acting downward onshoulder 14b through ports 11 will move the sleeve 14 back downward andonce again communicate the tubing fluid with the packer actuating pistonand cylinder via ports 11 and 21 and chambers 12 and 8.

Thus it can be seen that valve assembly 7 works autoan elongated tubularinner mandrel adapted to be connected into a string of well tubing andhaving an internal bore passage therein; hydraulic actuation meansattached to said mandrel; external housing means located concentricallyon said inner mandrel; resilient packer means on said;housing meansarranged to be compressed longitudinally and expanded radially by saidhydraulic actuation means; anchor slip means on said housing meansadapted to be urged outward and grip the well 'casing wall in responseto said hydraulic actuation means; valve assembly means on said wellpacker adapted to receive pressure from said inner mandrel bore passageand further adapted to receive pressure from the well formation belowsaid resilient packer means; and I 4 said valve assembly means arrangedto respond to the higher of said formation pressure and said innermandrel pressure and to communicate said higherpressure to saidhydraulic actuation means. 2. The well packer of claim 1 wherein saidhydraulic actuation means comprises a piston head, a cylinder,

and annular passage means between said inner mandrel and said externalhousing means extending from said valve means to said piston andcylinder.

I 3. The well packer of claim 2 wherein said valve means comprises atelescoping valve sleeve piston located between said inner mandrel andsaid external housing means; said mandrel, said housing means, and saidvalve sleeve piston having port means passing therethrough; said valvesleeve piston having a differential pressure area exposed to saidmandrel port means and a second differential pressure area exposed tosaid housing port means, and said valve sleeve piston arranged to movefrom a position communicating said inner mandrel bore passage with saidannular passage means to an opposed position communicating saidanmatically to maintain the higher of two pressures, ei-

ther tubing pressure or formation pressure, on the packer actuatingassembly to maintain the packer in the set position. J

Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen herein described in order to provide an understanding of thegeneral principles of the invention, it will be appreciated that variouschanges and innovations can be effected in the described well packerzone activated valve assembly without departing from these principles;for example, it would be possible to utilize the valve assembly as someintermediate point in the packer apparatus ratherthan at the bottom orthe valve assembly could be utilized in other types of pressure actuatedpackers than the one shown. All modifications and changes of this typeare deemed to be embraced by the spirit and scope of the inventionexcept as the same may be necessarily limited by the appended claims orreasonable equivalents thereof.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined asfollows: 1

; l. A well packer for use in an underground formation penetrated by aborehole, said well packer comprising:

nular passage means to said port means in said external housing means. I

4. The well packer of claim 3 wherein said piston comprises acylindrical tubular sleeve having seal means thereon and being slidablylocated between said inner mandrel and said housing means; said annularpassage meanscomprising a first internal-bore passage sealingly engagingsaid piston and a second larger internal bore passage allowing fluidflow past said piston when said piston is in said second internal borepassage.

5. In a hydraulically actuated well packer assembly of the type havingan internal bore passage, hyraulic responsive actuating means,resiliently expandable packer elements, and mechanical gripping anchors;the improvement comprising:

valve means below the packer-elements having preselective communicationbetween the internal bore passage of said well packer and the hydraulicactuating means in a first valve position, and communicating saidhydraulic actuating means with the oil well formation pressure in asecond valve position while blocking off communication from saidinternal bore passage to saidhydraulic actuating means; and, said valvemeans having differential pressure areas thereon arranged to respond tothe higher of either the internal bore pressure or the formationpressure and automatically communicate said higher pressure to saidhydraulic actuation means while blocking said lower pressure therefrom.

6. The well packer assembly of claim 5 wherein said valve meanscomprises:

hydraulic passage means communicating with said hydraulic actuatingmeans;

first port means communicating between said passage means and theinternal bore passage of said well packer assembly;

second port means communicating said passage means with the wellformation pressure below the resilient packer elements;

sliding valve means in said passage means arranged in one position toblock only second port means and in a second position to block only saidfirst port means; and,

said valve means arranged to slide over said first or second port meansin response to a pressure differential between formation pressure andthe packer internal bore pressure.

7. The well packer assembly of claim 5 wherein said 5 valve meansfurther comprises:

said cylindrical valve means.

1. A well packer for use in an underground formation penetrated by aborehole, said well packer comprising: an elongated tubular innermandrel adapted to be connected into a string of well tubing and havingan internal bore passage therein; hydraulic actuation means attached tosaid mandrel; external housing means located concentrically on saidinner mandrel; resilient packer means on said housing means arranged tobe compressed longitudinally and expanded radially by said hydraulicactuation means; anchor slip means on said housing means adapted to beurged outward and grip the well casing wall in response to saidhydraulic actuation means; valve assembly means on said well packeradapted to receive pressure from said inner mandrel bore passage andfurther adapted to receive pressure from the well formation below saidresilient packer means; and said valve assembly means arranged torespond to the higher of said formation pressure and said inner mandrelpressure and to communicate said higher pressure to said hydraulicactuation means.
 2. The well packer of claim 1 wherein said hydraulicactuation means comprises a piston head, a cylinder, and annular passagemeans between said inner mandrel and said external housing meansextending from saId valve means to said piston and cylinder.
 3. The wellpacker of claim 2 wherein said valve means comprises a telescoping valvesleeve piston located between said inner mandrel and said externalhousing means; said mandrel, said housing means, and said valve sleevepiston having port means passing therethrough; said valve sleeve pistonhaving a differential pressure area exposed to said mandrel port meansand a second differential pressure area exposed to said housing portmeans, and said valve sleeve piston arranged to move from a positioncommunicating said inner mandrel bore passage with said annular passagemeans to an opposed position communicating said annular passage means tosaid port means in said external housing means.
 4. The well packer ofclaim 3 wherein said piston comprises a cylindrical tubular sleevehaving seal means thereon and being slidably located between said innermandrel and said housing means; said annular passage means comprising afirst internal bore passage sealingly engaging said piston and a secondlarger internal bore passage allowing fluid flow past said piston whensaid piston is in said second internal bore passage.
 5. In ahydraulically actuated well packer assembly of the type having aninternal bore passage, hyraulic responsive actuating means, resilientlyexpandable packer elements, and mechanical gripping anchors; theimprovement comprising: valve means below the packer elements havingpreselective communication between the internal bore passage of saidwell packer and the hydraulic actuating means in a first valve position,and communicating said hydraulic actuating means with the oil wellformation pressure in a second valve position while blocking offcommunication from said internal bore passage to said hydraulicactuating means; and, said valve means having differential pressureareas thereon arranged to respond to the higher of either the internalbore pressure or the formation pressure and automatically communicatesaid higher pressure to said hydraulic actuation means while blockingsaid lower pressure therefrom.
 6. The well packer assembly of claim 5wherein said valve means comprises: hydraulic passage meanscommunicating with said hydraulic actuating means; first port meanscommunicating between said passage means and the internal bore passageof said well packer assembly; second port means communicating saidpassage means with the well formation pressure below the resilientpacker elements; sliding valve means in said passage means arranged inone position to block only second port means and in a second position toblock only said first port means; and, said valve means arranged toslide over said first or second port means in response to a pressuredifferential between formation pressure and the packer internal borepressure.
 7. The well packer assembly of claim 5 wherein said valvemeans further comprises: cylindrical sliding valve means locatedsealingly and slidably in an annular hydraulic passage means, saidcylindrical valve means having bypass ports therethrough and saidannular passage means having bypass passage means therein; said bypassports allowing fluid communication from said first port means past saidcylindrical valve means; and said bypass passage means arranged to allowfluid communication from said second port means past said cylindricalvalve means.